Melbourne City & Phillip Island Penguin Parade Day Tour

City Lanes and Little Penguins: Melbourne's Two Sides in One Day

You're picked up from your Melbourne hotel at 8:30am and walk through the city's laneways and Block Arcade with a local guide. Mid-morning you visit Moonlit Sanctuary to see koalas, wombats and other Australian wildlife up close. The afternoon drive takes you to Phillip Island, where you walk the Nobbies boardwalk and watch the Penguin Parade at dusk as little penguins return from the ocean. Hotel drop-off happens late evening after the return drive to the city.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Federation Squarepass by
2. St Kildapass by
3. Albert Parkpass by
4. Brighton Beach15m
5. Eureka Skydeck 88pass by
6. Moonlit Sanctuary1h · entry included
7. Penguin Parade40m · entry included
8. Block Arcade45m

Melbourne city tour and Phillip Island

• Walking tour of Melbourne lanes
• Visit Federation Square
• Pass by St Kilda beach
• Pass by Albert Park
• Photo stop at Brighton Beach
• Tour ends at Eureka Skydeck
• Visit Moonlit Sanctuary wildlife park
• Explore Nobbies boardwalks
• Watch Phillip Island Penguin Parade

The experience

"You've got to see the penguins at dusk. That's when they come in," the guide will tell you at the start, and that's the whole day right there. You begin at 8:30am from your Melbourne hotel, picked up in an air-conditioned minivan with no more than 10 other people. The morning moves through Federation Square and the laneways around Block Arcade, where the city's character lives in the narrow passages and hidden cafes. It's a 45-minute walking tour, so you're not rushed, and the guide knows which corners matter: the ones locals actually use, not just the postcard angles.

By mid-morning you're at Moonlit Sanctuary, a wildlife park where you meet Australia's animals in something closer to their natural setting. Koalas, wombats, echidnas: the kind of creatures you came to Australia to see but wouldn't find wandering the city streets. The guide walks you through and explains what makes each one distinctive to this country, and you get time to stand and watch instead of moving through on a schedule. Then it's back in the van and south toward Phillip Island, about an hour's drive from the city. You stop at the Nobbies boardwalk, where the coast opens up and you can see across to the island's cliffs.

The Penguin Parade is the finale. You arrive at dusk. The timing is built into the tour so you're there when the little penguins actually return from the ocean. They're small, maybe 30 centimeters tall, and they waddle up the beach in groups as the light fades. It's not a zoo performance. It's something that happens every night, and you're just there to watch it. The boardwalk keeps you at a distance so the birds aren't disturbed, and the whole thing takes about an hour. After that, it's the drive back to Melbourne, arriving late evening. The tour wraps outside Eureka Skydeck 88, so if you want to stay in the city center, you're already there.

The constraint is the 8:30am start. You need to be ready at your hotel by then, or you miss the tour and lose your booking. It's early, but it's what makes the whole day possible: the city tour before the crowds, the wildlife park at a reasonable pace, and the penguins at the hour they actually come ashore. If you're staying in a Melbourne hotel and want to see both the city and Phillip Island without arranging transport, timing, and two separate bookings, this is the shape the day takes.

What’s included

• Selected city centre hotel pickup and drop-off.
• local guide for the full day.
• 45-minute walking tour of Melbourne's laneways and Block Arcade.
• entry to Moonlit Sanctuary wildlife park.
• entry to the Phillip Island Penguin Parade.
• boardwalk access at the Nobbies.
• transport throughout the day by air-conditioned minivan.

Options for this experience

2 options

Guide in English08:30

Guide in English08:30

Options with the same name differ in details you'll see when you pick a date.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:30

Book up to18h before

AgesAdult (16 and older) · Child (4 to 15 years) · Under 4: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 11

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 17 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48h

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Oceania Tours and Safaris

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see both Melbourne's city character and Phillip Island's wildlife in a single day without arranging separate transport, timing, and bookings: the fixed 8:30am start and small group size are what make both stops fit into one afternoon and evening.

Traveler reviews

4.67★★★★★★★★★★

49 verified traveler reviews

5 ★42

4 ★2

3 ★2

2 ★2

1 ★1

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 15 years). Under 4: they can't be included in the booking.

What time does the tour start and finish?

The tour starts at 8:30am from your city centre hotel. It finishes late evening after returning from Phillip Island, with drop-off at your hotel or outside Eureka Skydeck 88.

Is hotel pickup included?

Yes, pickup and drop-off from selected city centre hotels is included in the tour price.

What's included in the tour?

Hotel pickup and drop-off, the local guide, entry to Moonlit Sanctuary, entry to the Penguin Parade, and transport by air-conditioned minivan.

How many people are in the group?

Maximum 11 participants per tour, so groups stay small.

Is this tour suitable for cruise ship passengers?

The tour is not normally suitable for cruise ship passengers, as the 8:30am start and late evening return don't align with typical port schedules.

What if I can't make the 8:30am pickup?

It's your responsibility to be ready at your hotel on time. Missing the pickup results in cancellation fees and forfeiture of the tour.

How long is the walking tour in Melbourne?

The walking tour through the city's lanes and arcades lasts about 45 minutes.

What's the drive time to Phillip Island?

The drive from Melbourne to Phillip Island is approximately one hour.

Do I need to be fit to do this tour?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels.